Effect of defoliation height on regrowth of timothy and meadow fescue in the generative and vegetative phases of growth

Post-defoliation carbohydrate stores, leaf area and the number of active meristems are important factors affecting the subsequent regrowth of grasses. Defoliation height affects the magnitude of all these factors. Timothy (Phleum pratense L.) and meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.) are the two most common pasture species in Finland, but little is known about their response to defoliation height. In this study the effect of three defoliation heights, 3, 6 and 9 cm, on the regrowth rates of timothy and meadow fescue in both the generative (June–July) and vegetative (August) phases of growth were examined in two one-year experiment in year 2000 and 2001. In addition, the main postdefoliation parameters were measured and their contributions to regrowth were studied. In June–July 2000 the regrowth rates, kg dry matter ha-1 d-1, of both species increased linearly by 19% by increasing the cutting height from 3 to 9 cm. In August 2000 the regrowth rates increased by 27% and the cumulative regrowth dry matter yield increased by 29%. In 2001 the defoliation height had no effect on the regrowth rates but the cumulative regrowth yield increased by 10% by increasing the cutting height. Meadow fescue produced 8–21% higher cumulative regrowth yields than timothy. In the reproductive phase, the regrowth rate of timothy is dependent on the population density of vegetative tillers but for meadow fescue population density did not have such importance. In vegetative phase there was no single factor essential for regrowth rates of either of the species

Timothy and timothy mixtures as a pasture crop

Despite the relatively low tolerance against grazing and peaked DM production, timothy can be used effiently for grazing, especially in mixtures with meadow fescue. The growth processes lead to specific management options, e.g. early turnout, high pre-grazing sward heights, flexible grazing systems with large variation in rotation length, and possibly part-time grazing

Englanninraiheinät ja koiranheinät vähissä

Englanninraiheinä on eniten viljelty nurmiheinä Euroopassa. Suomessa sen viljelyä rajoittaa huono talvenkestävyys. Myös koiranheinän viljely on viime vuosina ollut vähäistä, eikä siementä ole juurikaan ollut saatavilla.vo

Tutut koiranheinät ja englanninraiheinät jatkavat

Koiranheinän ja englanninraiheinän jälkikasvukyky on parempi kuin muilla heinäkasvilajeilla. Heikon talvehtimisen vuoksi ne soveltuvat vain kolmelle eteläisimmälle viljelyvyöhykkeelle. Molempien kasvilajien lajikevalikoima on niukka eikä uusia lajikkeita ole tarjolla.vo

Mittalautasen soveltuvuus timoteivaltaisen laidunnurmen kuiva-ainemassan määrittämiseen

vokKirjasto Aj-

Nurmen viljely polttoturvesoiden jättöalueilla : timoteinurmen kaliumlannoitus Tohmajärven Valkeasuolla

vokKirjasto Aj-kGrass production on cut-away peatlands : potassium fertilization of timothy (Phleum pratense) leys at Valkeasuo, Tohmajärv

Grass production on cut-away peatlands.Phosphorus fertilization for timothy (Phleum pratense) leys at Valkeasuo, Tohmajärvi

vokKirjasto Aj-

Comparison of part-time grazing and indoor silage feeding on milk production

Cows were assigned randomly to indoor silage feeding (with 2 h outdoor exercise) or part-time grazing treatment in two different experiments. One group was kept in confinement with ad libitum grass silage within each experiment. The other group had ad libitum grass silage indoors and they were put out on grass pasture during part of the 24 hour period, 12 hours (night, Experiment 1) and 6 hours (day, Experiment 2) in June, July and August. In Experiment 2, the concentrate (9 kg d-1) was given at two crude protein levels: high crude protein [185 g kg-1 dry matter (DM)] and low crude protein (135 g kg-1 DM). In Experiment 1, night-time grazing increased total DM intake and milk (3.9 kg d-1) production. There was interaction between month and forage feeding strategy, the difference in milk yield being smallest between treatments in June. In Experiment 2, day-time grazing had no significant main effect on milk production but there was significant interaction between month and forage feeding strategy showing 2.5 kg d-1 difference between treatments in July. High-protein concentrate tended to increase the milk yield more on the silage diet compared with the group grazing during daytime. .The differences in milk yield between the forage feeding treatments were mainly due to the higher dry matter intake and higher metabolizable energy content of the pasture grass compared with silage. The lower milk responses to concentrate crude protein in the cows grazing during daytime compared with the silage group indicate a high protein value of pasture grass. It is concluded that part-time grazing increases the milk yield and decreases the need for supplementary concentrate protein

Sward and milk production response to early turnout of dairy cows to pasture in Finland

The timing of turnout is an important factor affecting the grazing management of dairy cows. However, its consequences are not well known in the short grazing season of northern Europe. Thus, the effect of the turnout date of dairy cows to pasture on sward regrowth, herbage mass production and milk production was studied in two experiments, 1) a grazing trial with 16 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows and 2) a plot trial where the treatments simulated the grazing trial. The treatments were early turnout (1 June) and normal turnout (6 June). Early turnout decreased the annual herbage mass (HM) production in the plot trial (P=0,005), but due to a higher average organic matter (OM) digestibility (P0,05). Although early turnout had no effect on milk yields it meant easier management of pastures

Growth and utilization of timothy - meadow fescue pastures

V2004okPerttu Virkajärvi, MTT PSADiss. : University of Helsinki, 200